Manhattan Beach To Raise City Parking Meter Rates to $2 Per Hour
Sep 17, 2020 12:23PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The Manhattan Beach City Council this week approved an increase in parking meter rates to $2.00 per hour, citywide.
The previous rates were $1.75 per hour at city on-street meters and $1.50 per hour at city lots. L.A. County and state parking lots will be unchanged at the current rate of $2.00 per hour.
The rates will go into effect 10 days after approval for the
meters East of Manhattan Ave. (referred to as the Non-Appealable Zone), and in approximately 30 days for the meters West of Manhattan Ave. (the Appealable Zone). Appeals, if any, would go to the California Coastal Commission.
This increase is intended to offset revenue losses resulting from the use of metered on-street parking spaces by businesses to create outdoor dining and shopping opportunities, according to Manhattan Beach Finance Director Steve S. Charelian. Those losses stem from the usage of 67 parking spaces and lost parking citations related to those spaces. An additional 15 to 25 more metered on-street parking spaces are expected to be utilized to create outdoor spaces by businesses.
All told, the city estimates current revenue losses from the use of those parking spaces to be approximately $544,000 annually. Additionally, the city lost $51,000 in revenue when it retroactively waived monthly fees for those parking spaces used by businesses during June and July.
The new parking meter rates are estimated to increase revenue by approximately $750,000 annually.
In addition to a rate change, the city will use an option within the parking meter software to zero-out vacated spaces. In other words, when a car leaves a space with time left on the meter, the meter will "zero out" as the car leaves, so that a new person arriving at the parking space will not have any "left over" time on the meter. City staff anticipates an increase to overall parking revenue from using this type of technology of approximately $205,000 per year.
Prior to the vote, the city had conducted a parking rate survey which indicated that the proposed rates are consistent with, or comparable to, the parking rates in other beach communities.
The last time parking rates increased was 2018, and before that in 2008.
"I don’t raise meter rates lightly, but this is part of our COVID response and our reaction to the need to take away parking spots and help our businesses out," said Council Member Steve Napolitano.
Napolitano added that some of the revenue could be used to make improvements in the areas with parking meters, such as landscaping or sidewalk improvements. "I’ll support this to help our businesses react and to help our recovery," he said.
Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery agreed. "These are the things we have to
do to help our business survive. It's necessary," he said. "I think we're doing the right thing on the right path here."
do to help our business survive. It's necessary," he said. "I think we're doing the right thing on the right path here."
Council members approved the increase, 5-0.
